At 93 years old, one might expect to find Allie Cortes frail and diminutive. Nothing could be further from that description.

If anything, a more fitting definition for Cortes would be fiercely independent. She swims on a regular basis and still resides in and maintains her home, a cozy Cape in Yarmouth. Nonetheless her daughter felt that Cortes might enjoy having a companion to drop in on her occasionally. Through the Yarmouth Senior Center's Friendly Visitor Program Allie Cortes found not only a companion, but a good friend.

B. Lou Shields, also from Yarmouth, became interested in the Friendly Visitor Program after reading about it in the Senior Center newsletter. "It appealed to me," she said. "I thought it was a nice idea and I had the time to do it."

A long-time literacy tutor for children and adults, Shields possesses a deep love of reading. Her main objective in becoming a Friendly Visitor volunteer was to share her love of reading with others. In fact, Shields strongly requested that she be matched with a person who also enjoyed reading. "I asked them to match me with someone with whom I had something in common, and was blessed to have found a woman who shared my interests," she said of Cortes.

Because she suffers from macular degeneration, Cortes has lost much of her eyesight and is considered legally blind. That doesn't stop her from devouring literature. Cortes listens to books on tape that she borrows from the Perkins Center for the Blind or checks out of her local library. When Shields comes for a visit, the two women discuss their latest treasures. "We both enjoy historical novels, something with a little power that really resonates with truth about how people live," Shield said. "I suggest books to Allie that I feel she might enjoy. After she listens to the books, we talk about them."

Shields is quick to mention that the two women share more than a love of reading. "Allie is someone who has had a very interesting life," she said. "She has an amazing background. I enjoy listening to her tell her stories."

"When B. Lou came over the first time, it was supposed to be for an hour," said Cortes. "It turned out to be an hour and a half. I am so glad she came into my life."

Finding a match such as Shields and Cortes have is the key to a successful Friendly Visitor program. In Yarmouth, there are eight active volunteers with several more volunteers waiting for senior matches. Kay McCormick of the Yarmouth Senior Center feels that the Yarmouth program has been successful in its six months of operation. "We seem to be meeting the needs of the seniors who have requested the program," she said.

What's Happening in Barnstable?

The Barnstable Senior Center, however, has not found similar success. According to the center's Rose DiGregorio, the center has tried several times during the past seven years to implement some type of visitation program but to no avail. "We have put together a training manual for volunteers and attempted to start the program different ways, but we just haven't found success," she said.

Although there are many possible explanations, DiGregorio is forthcoming in acknowledging that there have not been successful matches between volunteers and seniors. A volunteer's primary responsibility is to visit and spend an hour or so with their senior once a week in the senior's home. DiGregorio found that many of the seniors requesting volunteers wanted to be taken shopping or out to lunch.

"Some Friendly Visitors may want to do that, but we can't expect our volunteers to do that," she said DiGregorio also cites vast differences in numbers as a possible deterrent to success. "Barnstable is a much bigger area than, say, Yarmouth," she noted. "We have close to 12,000 seniors."

Barnstable Senior Center does offer options for local seniors looking to find companionship. The Caregiver Support Program is a two-hour program that meets once a week providing a person can be transported to the center either by a caregiver or through the Senior Center van service. During their two hours, seniors can take part in a one-hour planned activity followed by a one-hour lunch.

There is also the Barnstable Adult Social Day Program. From 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., elders who cannot or do not wish to stay home alone during the day can participate in a fee-based, structured program designed to encourage independence and help facilitate new friendships. The center is holding an open house from 3 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 31 to celebrate the program's seventh anniversary.

"Because we do have these other programs, it is possible that we just don't have the need for a Friendly Visitor Program," said DiGregorio. "Even so, it's something we'd love to see happen."

DiGregorio notes that interest in such a program always resurfaces. "We haven't had a need lately," she said. "But we never close the door on it." The center would be interested in hearing from anyone with solid notions about how to create and manage a successful visitation program. "If anyone has some great ideas, we'd be happy to talk with them," said DiGregorio. "We have all the materials ready. We just haven't found the magic formula." If you are interested in assisting the Barnstable Senior Center in establishing a Friendly Visitor Program or would like to attend the open house, contact Rose Digregorio at 508-862-4750.